Topic not covered?

Drawing in the old version looks more realistic as a drawing than in 2.0

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Mark Christiansen

Started a topic Fri, 27 Jun, 2014 at 4:46 PM

In the old version it would draw/trace the image as if it was really drawing it, in the new version it looks like there are scribbles all over the place as it tries to draw, doesn't look like a realistic drawing of anything just a bunch of 8 like looking circles, and lines all over the place then the image finally comes into place. The best thing about scribe is the way it draws, it actually looks like it is drawing the image, and this is what many clients have told me is that they want the real drawing look. I have probably 4 different softwares I use in creating videos for complanies and people for projects, and 8 out of 10 times I will use scribe because of the ease of use and the realistic drawing. In the new version 2.0, when you add an image it comes up with 6 different features to choose from, and not one of them looks like the old version of drawing, in any way. I have used hi rez images, and down to stick people in the old version and it actually looks like I am drawing them, in the new version, it just splatters lines and circles all over the place and then all of the sudden a picture appears after the hand is through doing its thing. As far as I can see in 2.0 everything else seems to be ok, but the way it draws will not work for the hi end quality videos I aim to create. Please change the drawing method to the old version way so it looks like a drawing and not a splatter of lines all over. In the mean time I will be going back to 1.3. 26 or other software to get the look I need.Mark

When you import in the new version instead of having the sliders you have 6 options, the first 2 (top left and top centre) I believe are based on the old version way of doing it, the next 2 are more scattered and the final 2 just swipe across the image.

I believe you are using the 4th option (bottom left) to get that effect.

Personally I would like the option of having the sliders to fine tune the scribe. I have found myself in Illustrator much more since the new version came out because it is still a bit different and I need to tell the hand how to draw the image.

Ryan

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Mark Christiansen

On Sun, 29 Jun, 2014 at 4:14 AM

Hi Ryan thanks for the feed back, but actually I was using the second on the top row for that. I tried the first one and it was even worse. I like the look of the new version layout and whatever, but I can 't use it, I went back to the old version I was using. For me it is not a question, it is I have to use the old version to get the drawing effect I want. I have illistrator, but I don't have the time to do both for every project, that is why if they would go back to or just add the functionality of the old drawing whatever to the new version, it would be great.

I tried all 6 of the options, not one worked

mark

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Dave Millman

On Sun, 29 Jun, 2014 at 3:29 PM

This is not a simple issue. Without the strokes provided in an SVG file, VideoScribe is just guessing how to draw an object. Mark likes how version 1.3.26 made its guesses better than how 2.0 does it, which is understandable in the example he uploaded. But even version 1.3.26 did only a marginal job of guessing how to draw that artwork.

I used a JPG file in my first commercial scribe, but since then, I've used Illustrator on every single piece of artwork to create the paths. I've become very picky about exactly how objects are drawn, and creating an SVG file with paths is the only way to specify path order, direction, timing and appearance.

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Ryan Portsmouth

On Sun, 29 Jun, 2014 at 5:44 PM

Hi Mark, the thicker brush stroke that is being used in the video you posted in my version of VS is the 4th item, bottom left.

What I have done to workout the best stroke for an image isn't optimal but it does give options, create 5 copies and import each using a different scribing method, I have found the first 2 to be the same as the last version but without the sliders.

Outside of that it's just as Dave said with creating the paths in an SVG file that I am doing a lot more now myself.

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Flood Mac

On Tue, 1 Jul, 2014 at 4:22 AM

Having the same exact problem as Mark has pointed out, it really looks very bad drawing in new version, I also have to stick with old version to make my work deliver correctly. Hope you can check on this issue Im using 2nd option (of the 6 possibles) and even if i change the hand it does the same exact drawing not following a line just fluctuating all over the image, hope you can recover this feature in new version.

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Ed Wade

On Tue, 1 Jul, 2014 at 7:08 PM

I, too am having this same issue, and I cannot do another video for an existing client to match their other video because of this. The way that the image is drawn in any of the 6 options is completely unacceptable. It doesn't look real at all. I also have recently purchased several competing products and, while not as good as VideoScribe in many respects, I feel I am paying a premium for an effect I am longer able to achieve with 2.0. I had hoped it was just me and there was a solution, but apparently there is not. Unfortunate.

Ian Howlett

On Thu, 10 Jul, 2014 at 11:37 AM

Hi

Just to add, there's a tutorial to get people started who want to try something along the lines of Dave's thoughts.

Until VideoScribe offers more solutions, dropping your image in Adobe Illustrator or Inkscape, for example, to prepare images for VideoScribe, has the capacity for an extremely realistic, and controlled, drawing.

I'm drawn back to that old scribe of Jon's, where he scribed his grandfather's sketchbook, the effects of which could never hope to be achieved with an algorithm but with a little thought in Illustrator returned amazing results..

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Mark Christiansen

On Thu, 10 Jul, 2014 at 4:38 PM

I understand that but the biggest issue there is not a lot of people have the money to even think about buying Illistrator. My other problem there is time, I have so many orders daily and weekly for clients, I don't have the time to spend on Illistrator re doing each image, especially when I use 10 to 20 images per video. Just doesn't come out ahead that way. I have just resorted back to their earlier version, and continue to crank out great videos. I do use my other software products to do videos on also, but not as much as Video Scribe. If they are going to proceed to make updates and add more features, they really should consider those of use who in the past have paid yearly fees to use this and try not to put out a completely new product as an update.

Just my thoughts

mark

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Ed Wade

On Thu, 10 Jul, 2014 at 5:02 PM

I'm with you, Mark. This is software that's sold as a product that enables you to make videos without requiring the time, money, or ability to make your own images. An upgrade should be an improvement, not a step back in functionality/quality. I appreciate all the improvements in 2.0 (even though the timeline issue is a freaking nightmare that MUST be addressed!), but a new version shouldn't result in a completely different and sub-standard method of drawing. Doesn't matter the quality of the SVG. If you want an image to appear to be drawn instead of just appear or moved onto the canvas, this new version just doesn't get it. And the option is to revert to an older version? Sort of like saying, "Sorry your new car doesn't run as expected, do you want your old one back?" Personally, I think Sparkol had better get it together soon or they'll find their competitors eating their lunch. In fact, this has already begun. We have purchased 4 other video creation softwares in the last 3 months alone. My 2 cents.

Ed

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Russ Riba

On Fri, 10 Oct, 2014 at 2:56 PM

I have to imagine that with the customer service (great) I have seen from this company, that this issue will be resolved soon. It is Video Scribe, not Video Scatter, and this is a key element of the whole software package. I am confident that the import feature from version 1 with the sliders will return or there will be an enhancement that matches or improves on this step-back in functionality. Otherwise... awesome company so far.

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Mark Hanson

On Wed, 22 Oct, 2014 at 10:45 PM

Completely agree here and I am nervous that the original post came 4 months ago with little to no response since. Absolute waste of my time to even download and start working in 2.0 as I could never think of handing this to any of my clients. 'It's not that simple,' is not a sufficient answer when we are discussing the fundamental aspect of VideoScribe - scribing. The implication that us end-users need to double the amount of time we spend on a project by editing in Illustrator is an unacceptable misdirection for a very clear developmental error, regardless of the effect that can be achieved through Illustrator's use. I of course appreciate the challenges involved with small independently developed software, so I can look the other way at the crashing, glitches, and awkward filing structure, but I am sad to see such a great idea finally be ruined - to apparent silence.

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Mark Christiansen

On Wed, 22 Oct, 2014 at 11:29 PM

I have since putting this thread in, stayed with the older versions, as I tried 2 video with the 2.0 and both were rejected by the clients as they didn't look at all like my portfolio. I too am disappointed that we paid hundreds of dollars a year for the professional version to use, and was told that this is the way that support sees things that need to be addressed, that was a lot of blow me off bs, don't want to handle it . So I just keep using the older version. I think it is just a sign of the times the companies have their own adjenda, and really don't care what the paying customers have to say.

Daniel McCormack

On Thu, 23 Oct, 2014 at 4:09 PM

Hi Mark H/Mark C,

Thanks for posting your thoughts and experience here, and sorry to hear that this aspect of version 2 isn't working how you need it to.

I just wanted to let you know that this is something that our development team is looking into and we are working to improve this in a future update.

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Russ Riba

On Thu, 23 Oct, 2014 at 4:15 PM

I am so glad to see that there is an effort to fix this. It is very stressing to see the hand scribing something in a poor fashion when compared to prior versions.